This invention pertains to a display and burial system wherein a lid member associated with a base is held in open viewing position by a collapsible, easily stored link which can be removably connected to the base for holding the lid member in viewing position and which requires only a small opening in a frame member of the base for insertion and, therefore, only a small opening through the decorative material which is placed in and draped around the base.
There are many display and burial systems which have a base and a movable lid member associated therewith which can be moved between a closed position and an open viewing position. One common form of such system is the typical burial casket. In recent years, alternatives to the typical burial casket have been developed and, as shown in applicant's prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,543, a display casket encloses a display container and after viewing of the body the display container can be removed from the display casket and associated with other structure for burial or other disposition. In said previous patent, the display casket has a lid member which is held in open viewing position by a rod or link which is pivotally-connected to the display casket base and movable between a storage position provided by a groove in the base and an operative position in which it extends upwardly into engagement with the lid member. This structure requires exposure to a relatively long storage groove in the frame member of the base and therefore a lengthy opening in the decorative material which normally covers the frame member or the absence of such material.
A copending application of the applicant, Ser. No. 115,114, filed Jan. 24, 1980, shows a display and burial system wherein a display base has an appearance similar to a casket base and after viewing of the body can be associated with cover structure for burial or other disposition. A reusable casket-like movable lid unit is associated with the display base and has a hinged lid member movable between a closed and an open viewing position. It is a structure of this type which is disclosed in the drawings of this application. In the structure of said application, the lid member is held in an open viewing position by a lock bolt structure positioned at the rear of the display base.